Morioka 6th in 50-km race walk at worlds

Morioka 6th in 50-km race walk at worlds

DAEGU, South Korea - Koichiro Morioka (C), Takayuki Tanii (R), and Hirooki Arai, all from Japan, pose with a flag in Daegu, South Korea, on Sept. 3, 2011, after the 50-kilometer race walk at the world athletics championships. Morioka, Tanii and Arai finished 6th, 9th and 10th in the race, respectively.

Athletics: Arai finishes 2nd in 50-km walk national championship

Athletics: Arai finishes 2nd in 50-km walk national championship

Hirooki Arai celebrates as he finishes second in the 50-kilometer walk at the national championships in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture on April 17, 2016. Arai virtually secured a berth to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics with a time of 3:44:47. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Athletics: Tanii wins 50-km walk national title

Athletics: Tanii wins 50-km walk national title

Takayuki Tanii (L) and Hirooki Arai hug each other after finishing first and second respectively in the 50-kilometer walk at the national championships in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture on April 17, 2016. Tanii, a world bronze medalist who has already qualified for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, clocked 3 hours, 44 minutes, 12 seconds. Arai virtually assured himself of a first trip to the Olympics with a time of 3:44:47. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Morioka 6th in 50-km race walk at worlds

Morioka 6th in 50-km race walk at worlds

DAEGU, South Korea - Koichiro Morioka (C), Takayuki Tanii (R), and Hirooki Arai, all from Japan, pose with a flag in Daegu, South Korea, on Sept. 3, 2011, after the 50-kilometer race walk at the world athletics championships. Morioka, Tanii and Arai finished 6th, 9th and 10th in the race, respectively. (Kyodo)

Athletics: Japan earns silver, bronze in men's 50-km walk at worlds

Athletics: Japan earns silver, bronze in men's 50-km walk at worlds

Hirooki Arai (L) pumps his fists as he finishes second in the men's 50-kilometer race walk at the world athletics championships in London on Aug. 13, 2017, with Japanese compatriot Kai Kobayashi coming from behind for third place. Yohann Diniz of France won the race. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Trash-picking event held to promote eco-friendly 2020 Olympics

Trash-picking event held to promote eco-friendly 2020 Olympics

Race walkers Hirooki Arai (front L) and Takayuki Tanii (front R) take part in a trash-picking event on Tokyo streets around the main competition area for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, on June 5, 2017. The event was aimed at increasing environmental awareness in the buildup to the games. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Trash-picking event held to promote eco-friendly 2020 Olympics

Trash-picking event held to promote eco-friendly 2020 Olympics

Olympic race walk bronze medalist Hirooki Arai takes part in a trash-picking event on Tokyo streets around the main competition area for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, on June 5, 2017. The event was aimed at increasing environmental awareness in the buildup to the games. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Trash-picking event held to promote eco-friendly 2020 Olympics

Trash-picking event held to promote eco-friendly 2020 Olympics

Olympic race walk bronze medalist Hirooki Arai takes part in a trash-picking event on Tokyo streets around the main competition area for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, on June 5, 2017. The event was aimed at increasing environmental awareness in the buildup to the games. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Athletics: Arai walks to 2nd national 50-kilometer crown

Athletics: Arai walks to 2nd national 50-kilometer crown

Hirooki Arai, who won the Rio Olympics bronze medal in the men's 50-kilometer walk, crosses the finish line to win his second national title in 3 hours, 47 minutes, 18 seconds in Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, on April 16, 2017. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japanese athletes return from Rio

Japanese athletes return from Rio

(From L) Members of Japan's silver-winning men's 4x100-meter relay at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics -- Shota Iizuka, Ryota Yamagata, Asuka Cambridge and Yoshihide Kiryu -- as well as Hirooki Arai (C in back), bronze medalist in the men's 50-kilometer walk, arrive at Tokyo's Haneda airport on Aug. 24, 2016, from the Brazilian city. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Scenes of Rio Olympics

Scenes of Rio Olympics

Bronze medalist Hirooki Arai of Japan holds his bronze medal during the award ceremony for the men's 50-kilometer walk at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Bronze for race walker Arai

Olympics: Bronze for race walker Arai

Bronze medalist Hirooki Arai of Japan holds up his bronze medal during the award ceremony for the men's 50-kilometer walk at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Medalists of men's 50-km walk

Olympics: Medalists of men's 50-km walk

Bronze medalist Hirooki Arai of Japan (R) smiles alongside gold medalist Matej Toth of Slovakia (C) and silver medalist Jared Tallent of Australia during the award ceremony for the men's 50-kilometer walk at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Medalists of men's 50-km walk

Olympics: Medalists of men's 50-km walk

Gold medalist Matej Toth of Slovakia (C), silver medalist Jared Tallent (L) of Australia, and bronze medalist Hirooki Arai of Japan pose for a photo during the award ceremony for the men's 50-kilometer walk at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Japan's Arai gets 50-km walk bronze

Olympics: Japan's Arai gets 50-km walk bronze

Japan's Hirooki Arai (L) and Evan Dunfee of Canada compete during the men's 50-kilometer walk at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Arai awarded 50-km walk bronze

Olympics: Arai awarded 50-km walk bronze

Japan's Hirooki Arai (C) celebrates after winning the 50-km walk bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. Arai was disqualified after the race over a collision with Evan Dunfee of Canada, who finished fourth, but the decision was reversed following a Japanese appeal. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Arai awarded 50-km walk bronze

Olympics: Arai awarded 50-km walk bronze

Japan's Hirooki Arai (C) celebrates after winning the 50-km walk bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. Arai was disqualified after the race over a collision with Evan Dunfee of Canada, who finished fourth, but the decision was reversed following a Japanese appeal. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Japan's Arai gets bronze in 50-km walk

Olympics: Japan's Arai gets bronze in 50-km walk

Japan's Hirooki Arai crosses the finish line in the men's 50-kilometer walk at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. Arai was disqualified after the race over a collision with Evan Dunfee of Canada, who finished fourth, but the decision was reversed following a Japanese appeal and Arai was awarded the bronze. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Arai awarded 50-km walk bronze

Olympics: Arai awarded 50-km walk bronze

Japan's Hirooki Arai celebrates by holding the Japanese national flag after winning the 50-kilometer walk bronze medal at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. Arai was disqualified after the race over a collision with Evan Dunfee of Canada, who finished fourth, but the decision was reversed following a Japanese appeal. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Olympics: Japan's Arai gets 50-km walk bronze

Olympics: Japan's Arai gets 50-km walk bronze

Japan's Hirooki Arai (L) and Evan Dunfee of Canada compete during the men's 50-kilometer walk at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on Aug. 19, 2016. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo